Islamabad: Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel has urged citizens to follow Standard Operating Procedures against COVID-19 as 818 new cases were reported in the country over the last twenty-four hours.

In a video message regarding the current corona situation, he said the government is taking effective measures to control the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The Minister said National Command and Control Centre meets on daily basis to closely monitor the cases of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, four people died due to corona infection in the country during last twenty-four hours.

According to National Institute of Health, over 18,300 tests were conducted during this period and the positivity ratio was 4.47 percent.

Rescuers in India's northeast have recovered 20 dead bodies from the site of a landslide that buried a railway construction camp, the army said, after a second day of search efforts.

As per details, security forces and disaster relief teams are still racing to rescue dozens more feared trapped under debris.

Reportedly, most of the victims were reserve soldiers from the Territorial Army who had been working on the railway project.

Experts say climate change is increasing the number of extreme weather events around the world, with damming, deforestation and development projects in India exacerbating the human toll.

This month, unprecedented rains lashed India’s northeastern states and neighbouring Bangladesh, killing more than 150 people.

Millions have been displaced by the catastrophic floods in recent weeks, and in some low-lying areas, houses have been submerged.

Army helicopters were on standby and assisting in rescue operations at the site of the landslide, a statement from the Indian army said.

Lahore: Senior journalist and analyst Ayaz Amir was attacked by unidentified men in Lahore on Thursday.

Amir was leaving the office of a private TV channel located at Lahore’s Abbott Road when unidentified men attacked him. The assailants also snatched his wallet and mobile phone.

As soon as the incident was reported, a Punjab Police spokesperson said that the inspector-general has summoned a report of the incident from the capital city police officer.

The IG directed the CCPO to utilise the safe city cameras to identify the culprits and ensure their arrest. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the incident and ordered Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz to hold a high-level investigation.

“Suspects should be brought before the law as soon as possible. Journalism and protection of journalists should be ensured,” said PM Shehbaz.

-- Punjab CM condemns --

Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz took a notice of the torture incident on the senior Journalist and columnist Ayaz Amir and sought a report from Inspector General of Police.

The CM ordered to arrest the accused at the earliest who are found involved in the torture incident on Ayaz Amir.

Hamza directed to bring the accused into the stern grip of law and further action be taken against them. CM condemned the attack on Ayaz Amir and directed to fulfill all the requirements of justice.